Giuliani is accusing Clinton of changing positions on Iraq in a new Web ad released Friday.

WASHINGTON (CNN) - The official start of the presidential primary season is over three months away, but former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani is going after Democratic presidential frontrunner Hillary Clinton as if she were already her party's nominee.

The New York Republican's latest hit on Clinton comes in a Web ad released Friday afternoon, alleging she changed her position on the Iraq war "now that she's running for president."

“In 2002, Hillary Clinton voted to authorize military action in Iraq … because she believed it was the right thing to do," the ad states. “But now that she’s running for president, Hillary Clinton has changed her position, even joining with the radical group MoveOn.org in attacking American General Petraeus."

Giuliani has been heavily critical this week of MoveOn.org's ad in the New York Times Monday. In the ad, the organization alleged the top U.S. commander in Iraq, Gen. David Petraeus, is not telling the truth about conditions in Iraq for political reasons.

Giuliani has also condemned Clinton directly for not denouncing the ad, as well as for her comments during Petraeus' testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee Tuesday, when she said his progress report required "a willing suspension of disbelief."

"Clinton stood silently by when MoveOn.org ran this venomous ad in the New York Times," the ad states. “The same general she called an expert not long ago. Now she is questioning his honesty.”

Responding to the Web ad, Clinton spokesman Phil Singer said, "Rudy Giuliani is dropping in the polls and is unable to defend his own support for George Bush's failed war."

"Instead of distorting Senator Clinton’s record in the campaign's first attack ad, the Mayor should tell voters why he thinks sticking with the Bush Iraq strategy makes sense. The country wants change and while Hillary Clinton is focused on ending the war, Mayor Giuliani is playing politics," he added.

So why is Giuliani going after Clinton as if it is September 2008?

"Giuliani needs to be acceptable to conservatives," CNN Senior Political Analyst Bill Schneider says. "What better way to do it than to show he's ready to lead the fight against Hillary Clinton? Among conservative Republicans, 85 percent have a negative opinion of the New York senator."

soundoff(102 Responses)

Not only is it not her organization, not only has she NOT expressed support for the ad, not only does MoveOn.org not even endorse Hillary Clinton, but why is he attacking Hillary in particular? He might as well be attacking me. I haven't denounced the ad either. Nor will I, by the way, because I happen to think Petraeus is a liar. But Clinton's never called him that, let alone accused him of betraying anybody. This is pure vintage Giuliani.

Hillary needs to denounce the Moveon.org organization to have any credibility in the future race for president. She (& other democratic candidates) are showing amateur chops by siding with extremest splinter groups!

If I'm Clinton's campaign, I'm thanking my lucky stars and laughing all the way to the bank with way more than the 800k plus they lost in the Hsu scandal. It gives her more street cred with the MO and Kos people, won't cost her a VOTE in NYC, (Though maybe some elsewhere in the state, maybe not.) while attracting even more of the anti-war vote. It is a total win for her. The question is, why? Why would Rudy latch on to this almost non-issue, to take a hard stand?

He needs her HELP! He needs her as a foil he can attack to try to recapture the the supporters he's hemorrhaging to Fred, strengthen his street cred with the republican base, (and they hate Hillary even more than the people here) and taint her with the military, if he winds up running against her.
It's a bold,and in other ways a panic move, an attempt at a big lie that is like going for broke, as if he knows that the way Fred is trending, he could soon be third or FOURTH in the polls. Rudy is a front-runner, in more ways than one; If he falls behind Thompson (and it looks like he will) and feels that he isn't going to win, he could surprise everyone and drop out FAST. This could be his , "let it all hang out", round and if he doesn't score the knockout, he may quit on his stool.
He has to know that in the short run, he is much more certain of helping Hillary with this ad than he is himself, so this is in many ways also a tactical, long-range move. If the national publicity the ad is sure to garner helps him regain and maintain his lead and go on to win the republican nomination, he has set himself up for how he wants to run against ANY democrat, that he is strong and will protect you and the democrat won't.
My guy Edwards and Obama are both seen as easy to campaign against on the security issue (It's the only issue the republicans are still trusted on) for Rudy, but Clinton has been able to stake out some gravitas, in part because of being on the Armed Services Committee , so the ad sets him up to, "define", her as being anti-military.
If it works, he wins the nomination and has a perceived soft-spot to attack (If Clinton is his opponent). If it helps her, but he continues to deflate, he'll be like Wile E. Coyote, falling into the canyon with a bomb in his hand as the Road-Runner zips past, unharmed, "Beep-Beep", Rudy.

MoveOn.Org has claimed to own the Democrat party. They seem to own the Democrat candidates. The candidates don't want to disagree with MoveOn.Org because it gets a lot of hits on its web site and the candidates don't want to alienate those bloggers.

Does Rudy think Hillary's the only one running for president? Does he also think that MoveOn is Hillary's campaign in disguise?? Me thinks Mr. Guiliani best get out and open his eyes a little more. I'd really like to see where Rudy denounced the Swift-Boaters in 2004 and Uncle Karl in 2000 and 2004. Fake outrage from a fake – how fitting.

Giuliani will never be acceptable to conservatives. He has too much history as a liberal republican. Bashing Clinton isn't going to make all that history suddenly go away.

I don't like Hillary and would never vote for her because I don't think we can afford all of her regulations and programs in our current economy. Even so I think Giuliani is wrong to link Hillary to a Moveon.org ad. It makes him look desperate.

1) Bush cronies in the intel decieved us all. You cant blame just Clinton you have to blame majoriity of the united states. But when the truth was exposed she did the right thing. what was she proposed to do. Go into a deep slumber sleep like the rest of the republicans and be completely out of touch with america.

2) Clinton does not own moveon.org

3) you just attaking becuse Thompson is about to steal your thunder. Like it matter which bone head runs for GOP

Typical of Giuliani and the GOP to attack Clinton for something she has not control over. Also typical that anybody who questions this war and this administration is characterised in a negative light. You know last time I checked Freedom of Speech was a right (not a privilege) granted by our Constitution. I know Giuliani well having lived in NY for most of my life – I don't trust him.

I can hardly believe that this is the same man who ran NYC and kept his cool during 9/11 and after. I mean if a couple of ads gives him apoplexy now, what would a world crisis do to him as president? Where is his perspective?Looks like the cool as a cucumber Rudy is history.

He was on my short-list of three viable candidates for the Republican presidenial nominee. The list is now down to two.

This was an excellent video. I encourage everyone to see it. If the liberal media won't call her out on her roundabout way of calling a distinguished general a liar or for her silence as a left wing organization tears down his character, then this is the right thing to do. Hillary Clinton needs to be held to account for the way that she's conducted herself. An apology would be highly appropriate, though I doubt we will see one.

Hillary is going to smash these clowns in the general election. The Republicans would have a fighting chance against her, except that their candidates are so bad the Democrats could nominate Daffy Duck and still have a 5 point margin of victory.

This attack reeks of desperation. Hillary obviously has nothing to do with MoveOn.org, is not the favorite candidate of MoveOn.org, and has not supported the ad. Why attack her? Sounds like he's afraid of her.

The more the GOP keeps up these brainless, vitriolic attacks on Hillary, the more the rest of us know she must be doing something right.

September 14, 2007 06:32 pm at 6:32 pm |

papa_rod

BIG deal! How about some real politics instead of pot shotting each other.

Neither Hillary Clinton or Rudy Giuliani are acceptable candidates. Hillary has no business calling Patraeus as a liar. Additionally what about Whitewater? What about Giuliani's support for illegal aliens in New York City. Both are a disgrace to the American people.

Giuliani is a monday night quarterback in criticing Hillary. He forgot that it was his republican party and George Bush that fed the senate, congress and the american people with wrong intelligence info about Iraq to gain their support.

In other words, Hillary and the american people were cheated by Bush and the republican party. If Giuliani were in the senate at that time, he would have supported the war too as a republican. As far as the Iraq war is concerned. Giuliani has agreed 100% of what Bush said.

Giuliani has made tons of money himself in his personal security companies after 9/11. However, he did nothing in preventing 9/11 in NY, or has done anything significant for the american public since.

Giuliani is a coward. Before 9/11 he was on the cover of eveery rag sheet known because of his shameful display of infidelity and no compassion. His lack of leadership after the 1993 WTC bombing, he failed miserably. How many fire fighters and police officers could have been saved had he followed the reccomdations.
Iraq study group meetings? No show. I can't wait to see the swiftboat hate group and we will, RUDY will let it happen. He's a liar suggesting Senator Clinton had anything to do with MoveOn.org. She has nothing to with this independent group.
He needs to worry about getting speech lessons.
RRH, CT